Lay out the gameboardRoboRally can be played with any number of game boards. The players decide whether they want to play with one, two, three or four boards. If more than one board is chosen the players may combine these into one big playing surface by placing the board close together in any form they chose.

Designing the Race CourseThe course may contain from 2 to 6 Checkpoints. Each Checkpoint must be reached in order given by their number. All Robots begin at Checkpoint #1 from where they run towards the next higher number etc. The winner is the first to touch the highest numbered Checkpoint. The players decide how many Checkpoints they want to play with and where to place them on the board. The Checkpoints may only be placed on the following 7 types of spaces:

[see illustration]

Example of a course with 2 boards [B+C] and Checkpoints #1-3: [see illustration]

Tips for the beginner: Play through the game while reading the rules chapter for chapter.

 Use the boards "B" and "C" in the first game as they are easier to play than "A" or "D".

 Beginners should not place Checkpoints on the spaces containing Wrenches.

 More boards and more Checkpoints increases the playing time and the level of difficulty.

Program cardsThe program cards are placed near the board. They will be used by the players during the game to program their Robots.

Damage chitsThe Robots might become damaged during the race. This is recorded by taking damage chits. Place the chits near the board.

Player material:Each player receives a Robot, a Program Aid and a Safety Copy of the same color, 3 Life tokens and a Quick Reference Guide. The Robot is moved across the gameboard from start to finish. All Robots begins the game outside the gameboard. The Program Aids eases the programming of the Robots. The Safety Copies will be placed on Checkpoints and Repair Sites during the game. When a Robot is destroyed can a player make a duplicate at the place of his Safety Copy by paying a Life token. The Quick Reference Guide gives an overview of the factory elements and the turn sequence.

Page 4

Game Play

RoboRally is played in rounds. Each round consist of four phases:

I.

Deal Program cards

II.

Plan Programs

III.

Execute Programs

IV.

End phase

I. Deal Program cardsThe oldest player shuffles all the Program cards and deals a hand of 9 cards to every player. The card dealer will change clockwise around the table in future rounds.

A player receiving nothing but Turn orderswill show and discard his hand before drawing 9 new cards.

From round two will a player only receive as many cards as the damage to his Robot allows (see Damage Table, page 10).

The cards depicts the various commands through which the Robots are moved:[ill.]

Quarter Turning[Yellow Arrow - right/left]With these cards will a Robot rotate a quarter ( 90°) within it's spaceto the left (anti-clockwise) or to the right (clockwise).

Half Turning[Yellow Arrow U]With this card will a Robot rotate half around it self within it's space (180°).

Page 5

Priority NumberEvery Program card has a Priority number. This gives the order in which the players will move their Robots, higher priority moves first. For example will a Robot with Priority number "200" move before a Robot with card number "180". [ill.]

II. Plan ProgramsUsing the cards dealt in the beginning of the round must each player make a program of exactly 5 cards. This program will control the Robot. Each player picks 5 cards from his hand which he places face down on the table in a row from left to right. This order determines the order in which the program is executed. The first command is the leftmost card, the fifth command being the rightmost card.

[illustration shows Command 1 to 5 with the green Programing Aid on the first card]

To show that a player has locked his programming, he returns all the cards he didn't use to the deck, and places his Programming Aid counter on the first command. A player who has locked his program may not change it again.

The first card in the first round must be a commandthat moves the Robot either forwards or backwards.

Hints: The Quick Reference Guide gives an easy overview of the various spaces on the board.
 Beginners can ease the programming by trying out planned commands on the table (not on the board!) using their Programming Aid counter.
 Experienced players may prefer to introduce a time limit (e.g. one minute).

START!
All Robots begins the race from the first Checkpoint. Before his first command will a player place his Robot on the space with Checkpoint 1.Doing this he may freely orientate his Robot in any direction.

a) Execute commandsEach player reveals his first Program card and places his Program Aid on top of his second Program card. All players will now execute their first command.

[Ill. - Green has revealed his first Program card and placed his Player Aid on the second card.]

The player who has revealed the highest numbered Program card will execute his command first. The other players will then follow in descending card number order. The Robots perform the command shown on the cards. A command must be excuted.

Robot pushes another RobotThere can only be one Robot in each square. A Robot that moves into a space occupied by another Robot cannot move through or jump over that Robot. Instead it will push that Robot forward without regard to the orientation of that Robot.

Robot hits a wallWhen a Robot tries to cross a side of square with a Wall it will be blocked and the Robot will stay in the space without completing that command. This applies to both forwards and backwards movement.

[Ill.Both Robots will be blocked by the wall and cannot move into the designated space.]

[Ill. Green (Priority 490) stays in his original position as he cannot push Red through the Wall. Red will then perform his command (Priority 430).]

Robot falls into a pitWhen a Robot falls into a pit will it be completely destroyed (see: How to continue p. 11). Robots cannot cross the pits.

[Ill. Green is moving towards a pit. Red is moving one space forward and will push Blue into a pit. Blue will not be able to perform his command.]

Robot moves off the game boardA Robot will also be destroyed when it moves over the edge of the board (see: How to continue p. 11). The 'edges' between two adjacent boards have no impact on the game and should be disregarded during movement.

[Ill. Red (Priority 840) moves 3 spaces forward and the black edges have no impact on the move. Green (Priority 490) moves off the board and is destroyed.]

Page 8

b) Activate Factory ElementsWhen all players have used (or tried to use) a Programme card will the Robots be influenced by the Factory Elements. A Robot will only be influenced by the Elements present in the space it occupies. Factory Elements of the same type will activate simultaniously.

The order in which the Factory Elements take effect:

1.

Express Conveyor Belts transport Robots 1 space forward.

2.

All Conveyor Belts transport Robots 1 space forward.

3.

Pushers push Robots into the neighboring space.

4.

Gears rotate Robots 90° in the direction of the arrow.

5.

Crushers destroy Robots.

6.

Laser Beams inflict 1 point of damage to robots.

7.

Checkpoints and Repair Sites receive Safety copies of the Robots.

1) Express Conveyor BeltsExpress Conveyor Belts transports the Robots one space in the direction of the arrow.

[Ill. Express Conveyor Belts have SILVER colored rollers]

2) All Conveyor BeltsAny Robot still on Express Conveyor Belts is transported one additional space in the direction of the arrow. At the same time is any Robot on standard Conveyor Belts transported one space in the direction of the arrow.

[Ill. Standard Conveyor Belts have COPPER colored rollers. Notice how the facing of the Robot have no influence on the direction moved.]

 Beginning Express Conveyor Belt [silver]

 Beginning Conveyor Belt [copper]

 Straight forward Express Conveyor Belt [silver]

 Straight forward Conveyor Belt [copper]

Curves on Express- and Conveyor BeltsIf a Robot is being transported by a Conveyor Belt onto a curved arrow will the Robot be rotated 90° in the direction of the arrow.

[Ill. Green is being rotated a quarter in clockwise direction when the Conveyor belt transports him onto the curved arrow.]

[Ill. Two left curves on a Express Conveyor Belt: Red is being transported backwards onto the first left curve and is rotated a quarter in anti-clockwise direction. Then it is transported a second space onto another curved arrow and is again rotated a quarter.]

 Right curve of standard Conveyor Belt [copper]

 A Robot on the curve will be rotated 90 ° in clockwise direction.

 A left curve will rotate a Robot 90 ° in anti-clockwise direction.

 Curves on Express Conveyor Belts works similar to standard Conveyor Belts.

Page 9

When a Robot is moving onto a curve by its own movement it will not be rotated. Neither will a Robot being pushed onto a Conveyor Belt by another Robot.

[Ill. The Robot is moving onto the Conveyor Belt by use of a Programme card. Then is it transported one space down the Conveyor Belt without being rotated.]

Intersections on Conveyor belts.An intersection is a combination of a straight and a curved space. When a Robot is tranported onto the space from the side the space function as a curve.

[Ill. Green is being transported straight forward onto the intersection on the Express Conveyor Belt without being rotated. Then it will be transported one further space forward while Red at the same time will be transported from the standard Conveyor Belt onto the intersection where it will be rotated a quarter in clockwise direction.]

 A single intersection from a Express Conveyor Belt.

 A double intersection from a Conveyor Belt.

Stalemate situationsIf more than one Robot is being transported into the same space at the same time neither of them will be moved.

[Ill. The Conveyor Belts will move both Robots onto the same space. Both Robots will stay on the belts.]

Robots transported by Conveyor Belts cannot push other Robots.

[Ill. Yellow is standing in the space at the end of a Conveyor Belt. Green is blocked by Yellow.]

3) PushersA Robot is being pushed into the neighboring space when the Pusher is activated. Pushers are only activated in the Program Steps indicated by the numbers in its space.

[Ill. The Pusher will push Green into the pit during the 2nd (second) Programme Step only.]

 A Pusher (active during the second Programme Step)

4) GearsA Robot standing on a Gear will be rotated a quarter (90°) in the direction of the arrow.

[Ill. Green is backing up onto the Conveyor Belt which will transport him onto the Gear which will rotate it 90° in anti-clockwise direction.]

 Gear rotating 90° to the left.

 Gear rotating 90° to the right.

Page 10

5) CrushersA Robot standing in a space with a Crusher is being destoyed when it is activated (see: How to continue p. 11). The Crusher is only activated in the Programme Steps indicated by the numbers in its space.

[Ill. The Conveyor Belt transports the Robot "beneath" the Crusher. This will destroy Green during Programme Step 1 or 5. ]

 A Crusher (active during the first and fifth Programme Steps.

6) LasersA Robot standing in a space with a Laser beam receives damage and the player must take a damage chit. The beam is emitted from the muzzle. The Laser beam is blocked by Walls and other Robots, so a Robot behind another Robot will not recieve damage. A Robot may move undamaged through a Laser beam as long as it leave the space before the Laser is activated.

[Ill. The Yellow Robot is hit by the Laser. ]

[Ill. The Laser is blocked by the Wall. ]

[Ill. The Blue Robot is hit by the Laser while the Yellow Robot is safe. ]

 Single Laser

 Double Laser

 Tripple Laser with Wall

DamageA Robot takes damage every time it is being hit by a Laser beam, and the controlling player takes a Damage chit.

Each damage reduces the Robots memory. This mean that a damaged Robot will receive fewer Programme cards than a undamaged Robot. A player be dealt one Programme card less for each Damage chit received.

A Robots memoryAfter a Robot has taken 5 points of damage will the memory registers begin to freeze. This is shown by placing the Damage chits after the first four directly onto the blocked Programme cards. The first blocked card will be the 5th (the one on the far right). Such a card will stay in its position until the Robot has been repaired instead of being discarded.

A Robot takes the 6th point of damage. A Damage chit is placed on the 4th Programme card thus showing that the card, along with the 5th Programme card, is blocked. At the end of the round will the first three Programme cards be discarded and the player will only be dealt 3 new cards as replacements.

A player with 9 Damage chits will not receive any Programme cards, and his Robot must perform the same programme shown by the blocked cards. Blocked cards will be released as soon as the Damage chits has been removed, whereafter the cards will be discarded as normal by the end of that round (see: Repair).

7) Safety copyAs soon as a Robot pass over a Checkpoint or a Repair site (or stays on such a space) is a Safety copy placed in that space. When the Robots pass over another Checkpoint or Repair site is the Safety copy moved to the new space. Safety copies from more than one Robot may be in the same space. When a Robot is destroyed will it return to game from that space by the end of the round.

How to continueAfter all Factory Elements have been activated ends the first Programme step. The second step is now performed beginning by revealing the second Programme card. Move the Programming Aid counter to the next card to the right. The second Command is performed in order of Programme Number whereafter the Factory Elements for that step will activate. Continue in the same way with step three to five.

A Robot that have been destroyed is removed from the board. Its Programme is disolved and the player must discard all cards.

IV. End of RoundRepairWhen a Robot is standing on a Repair site or a Checkpoint at the end of the 5th Programme step may it repair some damage. Depending on the number of Wrenches depicted may a player return one or two Damage chits to the pool. A Checkpoint will only repair a single point of Damage.

Damage does not have to be repaired in any particular order. A player with blocked Programme cards in the 3rd, 4th and 5th positions may freely decide to repair the card which he prefers to change first.

CheckpointsAs soon as a Robots pass over or stops at the next Checkpoint in order has the player completed a lap of the race.

Page 12

Putting a replica of a Robot into playA player must pay a Life token to build a new Robot when it has been destroyed. If a player cannot pay a Life token he is out of the race.

A new Robot is build upon the space of his Safety copy. The safety copy stays in that space until it is moved. If the Safety copy hasn't been placed on the board yet will the Robot begin from the first Checkpoint. The player may place the Robot facing in any direction he chooses. If the space with the Safety copy is occupied by another Robot may the player place his Robot in any vacant adjacent space. If several Robots are being built in the same space are they placed in the order of the Safety copies placed (the one beneath builds before the one on top).

Game End

RoboRally ends as soon as a Robot touches the final Checkpoint by passing over it or staying on it. This may happend in any Programme step.

If all Robots have been destroyed before the final Checkpoint has been reached is the player who has completed most laps (reached most Checkpoints in the correct order) declared winner.

Variants

Laser-mounted RobotsEach Robot has a Laser mounted on the front. These Lasers shoot at the same time as the Lasers on the board. A Robot standing directly in front of another Robot will automatically be hit by its beam if it isn't blocked by a wall. Two Robots facing each other will damage each other.

Shutting a Robot downBy turning of all power of the Robot can a player remove all damage from the Robot. A player can only perform a Power down directly after a round has ended and before he is dealt new cards. Any laid Programme must be completed. The player will not receive any cards and his Robot will not be able to perform any actions this round. It cannot fire its Laser and cannot move by its own force. But it will still be affected by Factory Elements and the actions of other Robots. This may inflict new damage to the Robot, which cannot be removed by present Power down. Before the next round must the player decide whether he will stay Powered down (to remove new damage) or he will return to the game.

Poorly built ReplicaAfter the original Robot has been destroyed will any newly built Robot begin the race with 2 Damage chits. This is due to the hastily built copy which isn't as good as the original.

Translator notes:

1) These counters could be used as the "virtual mode" Robots of the original rules.
2) The original board names are: "Cannery Row", "Cross", "Exchange" and "Island".